You don’t have to go back more than 30 or 40 years to find that many parents—even middle-class parents—saw college as a privilege, not a right. Many were willing to help their children pay for an education, but they very much expected them to help foot the bill. Often, these parents paid tuition but left the living expenses up to the student. This left many students slinging pizza, waiting tables, or parking cars to make ends meet.

Many of these young adults developed a true appreciation for both a hard day’s work and how a college degree would change their employment options. Unlike many students today, who expect the world to beat a path to their doors, the students of yesteryear were simply thankful for a job and were committed to working their way up in a company.

I know that might seem like a bit of Grandpa’s “I had to walk uphill both ways to school, barefoot and in the snow” lecture, but I sincerely believe that a student working at least part time during his college years makes as much or more sense than him sitting around playing videogames with his roommates. If you’re the student, not only will you be taking pressure off yourself to land a juicy financial aid package or to take out larger loans, but you’re a lot more likely to stay focused and out of trouble. If you’re a parent, your student working a part-time job during school and a full-time job during the summer can easily shave $5,000 to $10,000 off the amount of money you need to come up with each year.